1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small connector for electrically connecting semiconductor devices or apparatuses such as LSIs or precision apparatuses and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, it relates to a microconnector which is employable in the field of micromachines or the like requiring a small connector having a high contact density and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, miniaturization of apparatuses rapidly progresses around the field of information communication apparatuses such as hard disks, CD memories, notebook-sized personal computers, ink jet printers and the like, followed by a demand for miniaturization of wiring portions thereof. While miniaturization is also prompted in relation to connectors for devices such as memory cards or input/output control cards for notebook-sized personal computers, the density of each connector electrode excluding a part for holding the connection is about 1/2 mm.sup.2 in a connector employed for a memory card or the like.
As a technique of forming finer parts, the LIGA process is employed for performing a series of steps such as X-ray lithography, plating, molding (mold formation) and the like.
For example, J. Micromech. Microeng. 2 (1992) 133-140. describes a prototype by Micro Parts Gesellschaft (Germany) as an exemplary microconnector manufactured by this technique. In this microconnector, the pin connector has a pitch of 80 .mu.m and a height of 250 .mu.m.
FIG. 42 schematically illustrates a connecting part of this prototype. FIG. 43 shows an enlarged partial view of female and male connector electrodes 65 and 66 shown in FIG. 42. In this microconnector, guide pins 70 of 1 mm by 2 mm by 0.25 mm provided on a male connector 68 are engaged in guide holes 69 of a female connector 67 as shown in FIG. 42, thereby connecting the female and male connector electrodes 65 and 66 with each other and mechanically holding the microconnector.
In practice, however, the mechanical strength of the microconnector is problematic due to the plate-type guide pins 70. As understood from FIG. 42, the guide pins 70 are linearly aligned with the male connector electrodes 66 on the male connector 68, while the guide holes 69 are linearly aligned with the female connector electrodes 65 on the female connector 67 respectively. When the female and male connectors 67 and 68 are connected with each other as shown in FIG. 44, the relatively thin microconnector having the linearly aligned electrodes and connecting portions is particularly weak against forces shown by arrows 77 around a connection plane 78. In order to solve this problem, the guide pins 70 may be increased in thickness for improving the mechanical strength of the microconnector.
When the guide pins 70 are increased in thickness, however, the pitch of the connector electrodes 66 must also be increased. As understood from FIG. 42, the male connector electrodes 66 are increased in vertical size and reduced in mechanical strength when the guide pins 70 are increased in thickness. The increase of the electrode pitch results in reduction of the density of the connector electrodes in the microconnector. In the microconnector of such a structure, therefore, it is difficult to compatibly attain improvement of the mechanical strength and high density of the connector electrodes.
In the microconnector of the aforementioned prototype, further, the female and male connectors 67 and 68 must be flush with and parallel to each other, while the positions of the guide pins 70 and the guide holes 69 must be well confirmed in order to connect the connectors 67 and 68 with each other. Thus, the connecting operation is disadvantageously complicated.